Folk Healing - Plantain Salve

    Plantain is one of the early bloomers of spring and it lasts well into summer. There are two types of plantain you'll find, often in the same yard. There is broad leaf plantain (plantago major) and narrow leaf plantain (plantago lanceolata). Both can be used interchangeably, but most herbalists tend to pick a favorite.

     In this simple recipe, I will use broad leaf plantain. 

    Plantain salve is a miracle remedy for mosquito bite itch and swelling! Dab a little on the bites when you come in from the garden or the evening feed - you feeding the livestock AND the mozzies. Within a minute or two, the itch and swelling disappears completely - and for good. Some people have told me the itch is remedied immediately.

    While you can use these two methods to make any salve, whether the plant material can be used fresh or dried or either differs from plant to plant.

The Plantain Leaves:

    Gather fresh plantain leaves. You can cut or pick them, but if you pick them, you will notice they have a stringy core in the short stems. This is fine. Don't worry about them. 

    Place them in a large bowl and let sit for 24-48 hours to dry. You're not drying them until brittle, just letting any residual moisture evaporate. 

    Toss them around a few times a day so they all have a chance to dry.  

The Oil:

Method One: Gather a jar of fresh plantain leaves. Pack well but not rock solid. Fill with extra virgin olive oil. Let sit for four weeks. Strain the plant material out of the oil, squeezing all the oil from the leaves.

Method Two: Use a double boiler pan or place a canning jar inside a metal pot. Fill the outer pan with water. If using a jar, fill the pot to at least halfway up the outside of the jar. Fill the jar about halfway with plant material. Add coconut oil. Heat on the stove on very low for about 4 hours, until the oil is a rich green color. Strain the oil as above. 

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

• plantain leaves
• olive oil OR coconut oil
• beeswax, grated
  

1. To make a 4 ounce batch of salve, use 4 ounces of infused oil using either method above. If you are making the oil on the stove, fill a pint canning jar halfway with plantain leaves, packing fairly well, but not rock solid. Add 4 ounces of coconut oil and push it down a bit into the leaves. Place this in the pot of water and heat on very low for 3-4 hours. Strain the oil.
2. While the oil is infusing, grate the beeswax if you haven't bought it in pellets.
   
3. Pour 4 ounces of infused oil into a small pot on low heat.
   
4. Add .3 to .5 ounces grated beeswax to the oil, stirring occasionally to prevent settling, clumping, and possibly burning.
5. Once the beeswax has melted and the contents of the pot are completely liquid, transfer this to salve tins or a 4 oz. canning jar or other heat-proof jar. 
6. Let the containers sit and the salve cool completely. It will harden as it cools.
7. If you have started with a lower amount of beeswax and find the salve is not hardened enough, remelt the salve and add more beeswax. When infusing in olive oil, you will have to use more beeswax to get the salve to harden.

    Plantain salve works on all kinds of bug bites and stings. If you don't have salve, you can always make a "spit poultice" by chewing up some leaves and applying them directly to an insect bite, wound, bruise, or sprain. 

    The seeds of the plant have more omega-3s than flax! In a couple of months you can gather those and add them to porridge and baked goods just like flax seeds.

    Plantain is Plant-Amazing!